Thank You

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In my personal thesaurus, "commercial air travel" is synonymous with "vexation." But I am contemplating an upgrade to "torture," in anticipation of the aftereffects of our recently enacted sequestration law. Beginning April 21, the Federal Aviation Administration will begin furloughs of 47,000 employees to save over $600 million this year, as required by the law.

If you believe the dire predictions, as do I, then, Mr. and Mrs. Air Traveler, you will be incommoded by exasperating flight delays, suddenly canceled flights, interminable tarmac lines, and that pre-eminent misery, the missed connection. Air travel may become so vexing that you will be tempted to top off your tank and take a few extra days to drive.

According to the chorus of alarmists, whose musical director is Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, flight delays will become more frequent because the furloughs will result in 10% fewer air-traffic controllers and safety inspectors on duty on any given day; and because there's a limit to the number of planes that can be tracked by the reduced staff, scheduled flights likely will be pared; and because the number of safety inspectors will be reduced, more aircraft will be stuck on the ground awaiting their seal of approval. This, in turn, according to the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, will reduce airline and airport revenues, bruising an industry that contributes 5% to our gross domestic product.

General aviation, which includes hobbyist and private corporate aircraft, already is feeling real pain. The 39-year-old Sun and Fun gathering in Lakeland, Fla., which runs from April 9-14 and attracts 200,000 visitors from 80 countries, learned three weeks ago that the FAA would not be sending the usual contingent of 70 controllers and 20 technicians. John Leenhouts, CEO of the event, worked out an 11th-hour deal with the FAA to pay it $284,500 to transport, house, and feed the employees. State and local governments and local business groups will help cover the bill because the event brings Florida about $60 million in economic activity. Leenhouts said it would have been impossible to get personnel from the private sector on such short notice.

THE FAA ALSO HAS ELIMINATED contracts with private-sector controllers at 149 regional airports on June 15. Senate Democrats refused to vote on a Republican amendment that would have allowed the FAA to shift some funds around to fund the towers until Sept. 30. Cynics like me believe this in part is an attempt to curry favor with the unions by bankrupting the private-sector contractors, traceable to the Reagan administration.

General-aviation pilots will have to coordinate landings and takeoffs themselves using a shared radio frequency, which can be difficult. Some of these airports are busy. Whiteman Field in Los Angeles handles over 100,000 takeoffs and landings each year.

As for raising the funds themselves, some are trying. But the pilots feel ripped off. They already pay fuel taxes for services to the FAA, notes the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.

When we victims start yelling, Democrats will blame Republicans and vice versa. In reality, we have ourselves to blame. We elected the bums.